Phys.orgA Mayo Clinic research team has developed a new type of cancer-fighting nanoparticle aimed at shrinking breast cancer tumors, while also preventing recurrence of the disease. In the study, published today in Nature Nanotechnology, mice that received an injection with the nanoparticle showed a 70 to 80 percent reduction in tumor size. Most significantly, mice treated with these nanoparticles showed resistance to future tumor recurrence, even when exposed to cancer cells a month later.READ MORE

Medical News TodayNew research suggests that an individual's unique sense of smell is the result of genes interacting with experience. A study of genetically similar mice shows that while genes may decide the types of odor-detecting cells that an animal has in its nose, its life history influences the numbers of different cell types, giving each animal a unique perception of smell.READ MORE

HealthDay News vi aWebMDEven if obesity is "in your genes," regular exercise can help keep extra pounds at bay, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that when people carried a particular gene variant that raises obesity risk, regular exercise seemed to reduce the effects of their DNA — by about one-third.
The gene in question is known as FTO. READ MORE

University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences via ScienceDailyA novel gene therapy using CRISPR genome editing technology effectively targets cancer-causing "fusion genes" and improves survival in mouse models of aggressive liver and prostate cancers, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers report in a study published online in Nature Biotechnology.READ MORE

HealthDay News via U.S. News & World ReportScore yet another point for low-dose aspirin: Regularly taking "baby" aspirin appears to protect women from the most common type of breast cancer, new research suggests.
Use of low-dose aspirin at least three times a week was linked to a 20 percent risk reduction for cancers known as hormone-receptor positive, HER2 negative — the most common breast cancer subtype, said study senior author Leslie Bernstein.READ MORE

Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology NewsWe have anti-arthritis drugs. What we lack is the ability to deploy them when and where they are needed in the body. The drugs would be far more effective, and occasion fewer side effects, if they were to appear only in response to inflammation, and only in the joints. If the drugs could be delivered so painstakingly—so smartly—they wouldn’t have to be administered systemically.READ MORE

Boston University via ScienceDailyScientists have announced two major findings that further our understanding of how stem cells become organs: the ability to grow and purify the earliest lung progenitors that emerge from human stem cells, and the ability to differentiate these cells into tiny 'bronchospheres' that model cystic fibrosis. Researchers hope the results will lead to new, 'personalized medicine' approaches to treating lung disease.READ MORE

Fox BusinessFormer Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer explained to FOX Business whether technology will continue to see growth in the healthcare industry.
Ballmer said the healthcare industry needs to keep developing new ideas, similar to the tech sector. “Some of the tech that exists today will become obsolete. But there’ll be new technology that will replace them. I’m a great believer in all aspects of technology and economy that, while things do change and that’s disrupted, for every door that closes, another door opens. And the world grows and progresses and things improve,” he said in an interview on FOX Business' Wall Street Week.READ MORE

The Wall Street JournalThe Food and Drug Administration recently approved 10 of the personal-genomics company 23andMe’s screening tests for genetic health risks, including one for Alzheimer’s and one for a rare blood disorder. The decision represents a turning point in the democratization of personalized medicine. It’s also a turnaround for the FDA, which had pulled the tests from the market in 2013. The company had blamed itself for that episode, admitting that it failed to follow up on promised communications with agency staff.
READ MORE

FORTUNEThere are few diagnoses more terrifying to patients than cancer. And accordingly, there are few visions of future healthcare that are more comforting than those promised by “precision medicine,” the idea that medical treatment will be wondrously personalized and efficient, and possibly spare us — through genomics, genetic testing, and studying personal data — from cancers and other dreaded disease. Will we ever get there?READ MORE

Becker's Hospital ReviewA study of a large pioneer ACO found substantial physician and patient turnover over a three-year contract period.
The study, published in Health Affairs, examines organizational and Medicare data from 2012 to 2014 on Somerville, Massacusetts-based Partners ACO, part of Boston-based Partners HealthCare.READ MORE

Modern HealthcareThe CMS hopes to see more accountable care organizations join the Medicare shared-savings program as the application period kicks off.
The agency recently launched new ways to attract providers, including automating the process that pairs patients with participating doctors.
Submitting an application does not bind an organization to participate. However, parties must submit a notice of intent to be eligible to apply. READ MORE

MedscapeThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the kinase inhibitor midostaurin (Rydapt, Novartis), in combination with chemotherapy, for the treatment of adults with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who have the FLT3 genetic mutation.
Midostaurin is the first new drug approved for the treatment of AML since 1990.READ MORE

FORTUNEWelcome to the latest drug price scandal: A rare disease treatment with a list price of more than $700,000 per year.
The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday gave its green light to the medicine, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.'s Brineura. It's the first-ever drug approved for a form of Batten disease, a rare genetic disorder that ravages the nervous system and can cause symptoms ranging from seizures to trouble coordinating muscles to vision loss. READ MORE

By Scott E. Rupp The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation reports that just 7 percent of the U.S. population get their insurance on the private market — actually a fairly small segment of the population. Yet this group is having a major impact on the future of the Affordable Care Act. Though the ACA has provided millions of people with health insurance, some insurers have experienced substantial losses and have removed themselves from the exchanges.READ MORE

ForbesAnthem isn’t giving up on completing its acquisition of Cigna even though a U.S. Appeals Court affirmed a lower federal court’s ruling that allowed the federal government to block the deal.
The U.S. Justice Department originally challenged the deal in July of last year, saying it would thwart competition, raise prices and hurt the quality of patient care. A merger of rivals Aetna and Humana was also successfully challenged by the Justice Department, with the two insurers giving up on an escalated court battle earlier this year.READ MORE

ReutersTop aides to President Donald Trump predicted the House of Representatives would move this week to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system, but Republicans remained divided on how to protect sick Americans from insurance price hikes.
The White House is eager to move forward on legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare, to make good on a key campaign promise.READ MORE

NAMCP UPDATES

CVS Health today announced the company will launch Reduced Rx™, a prescription savings program that will offer discounts on certain medications – through CVS Health’s pharmacy benefits manager, CVS Caremark – directly to patients. The program will help patients with high out of pocket costs afford essential medications. Novo Nordisk will participate in the prescription savings program. Through this program, CVS Health and Novo Nordisk will offer Novolin R®, Novolin N® and Novolin 70/30® human insulin at a cost of $25 per 10ml vial, which reflects a potential savings of as much as $100 for cash paying patients. Click here for more information.

Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc. is a rapidly emerging biopharmaceutical company committed to developing innovative therapies utilizing the Medici Drug Delivery System™ – therapies that have the potential to transform the prevention and management of serious chronic diseases. Across chronic diseases, medication non-adherence can compromise clinical outcomes and drive excess cost to the healthcare system. Intarcia is working to address this problem through innovative technologies. We invite you to visit our website to learn more.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) issued positive guidance recommending the use of the HeartFlow FFRct Analysis to help determine the cause of stable chest pain in patients. The HeartFlow FFRct Analysis is the first non-invasive technology to provide insight into both the extent of coronary artery disease and the impact that disease has on blood flow to the heart, aiding clinicians in selecting an appropriate treatment. Please click here to view the full press release.

Last month, Novo Nordisk received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for the New Drug Application (NDA) for Xultophy® 100/3.6. Xultophy® 100/3.6 is a combination of insulin degludec and liraglutide, indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus inadequately controlled on basal insulin or liraglutide. The FDA has required Novo Nordisk to distribute the safety notice as part of the Xultophy® 100/3.6 REMS program. Click Here for the Letter. Click Here for the fact sheet.

Courtagen Life Sciences, Inc., an innovative molecular information company focused on providing genetic diagnoses for neurological conditions through next generation sequencing, offers a broad range of genetic testing panels for epilepsy, including recently-added epiSEEK® Spotlight Panels designed to target genes that have been reported in association with specific phenotypes for epilepsy and seizure disorders. Please click here for more information.

Based on published clinical data, Humana, Medical Mutual of Ohio and Preferred One independently determined and published policies stating that Biodesix’ VeriStrat® test can be considered medically necessary for patients with advanced NSCLC. The VeriStrat test provides physicians with prognostic and predictive information to inform treatment of advanced NSCLC, and can facilitate patient-physician conversations about prognosis, life expectancy, and treatment recommendations. Click here for more information.

The treatment cost for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients in the U.S. is approximately $14 billion a year and is projected to rise through 2020. To help managed care professionals more effectively analyze medical and pharmacy claims, Bayer has developed the “Treatment and Analysis of Colorectal Cancer Evidence” (TRACE) Analyzer. Click here for more information and who to contact.

In a recently published study, researchers demonstrated that the DecisionDx-UM gene expression profile test accurately predicts metastatic risk for uveal melanoma patients and is being used by physicians to appropriately guide patient care decisions with the ultimate goal to improve net health outcomes. Please click here to review the full press release.